Still haven't left the '80s

 

My favorite decade that I have lived in, as a whole, is the 1980s, easily. I've written about this several times. Here is one that sums it up best.

 

Still, it can't top the '70s when it comes to cards. The '70s will always be my favorite decade for cards. This is the reason why I think I should be done with '80s cards by now. It's been nearly 40 years since that decade ended. You're not the '70s! Why am I still collecting your cards?

 

Well, that's because there are so many of them. Even though the '80s produced the first set that didn't impress me (1982 Donruss), the first set I didn't like (1986 Donruss) and the first set I didn't really get (1987 Topps), there was still so much to like. That's why I'm still trying to put the bow on 1983 Donruss, 1985 Donruss and 1987 Fleer right now.

 

And it's also why I just accepted a whole shoebox full of 1989 Score from Bru of Remember The Astrodome.

 

 

 

Lordy, what have I done? Am I aware that I have no space and am trying to downsize?

 

Well, there are still exceptions.

 

1989 Score has some importance in my collecting history. During 1989, I went wild trying to complete the Topps set solely through buying packs at a strip-mall drug store in Buffalo. Virtually no other set issued that year existed to me at the time. I never saw Upper Deck's debut set. I don't remember seeing Donruss or Fleer, though it's possible I did and ignored them because those late '80s Donruss and Fleer sets seemed kind of flimsy and childish to me at the time.

 

But I did see Score. I would buy hanger packs periodically at another drug store near where I would get gas. I bought enough of Score in 1989 that I accumulated around 200 cards from the set, and that's the way it has stayed all these decades later.

 

During my early blog days I completed the 1988 Score set, which I never saw in '88. 1989 is the first Score set I ever saw. But I was swayed by the blogging enthusiasm for 1988 Score at the time and it does look nice in a binder. Admittedly 1989 Score isn't the greatest-looking set -- I knew that even when I was buying packs. But nostalgia is strong and I'll still take it over Fleer from that year.

 

 I received quite a few team bags filled with the set from Marc and the memories did come rushing back. I even spotted a couple of cards -- like the Terry Kennedy that led off the post -- that I had originally in 1989. Somehow we parted ways but now they're back!

 

 

1989 Score is standard late '80s fare. It's full of action, which was a big bonus of Score at the time, and plagued by shadows, also a problem also for Donruss and Upper Deck in 1989. What sets Score apart from this period are the detailed backs, both full stats and write-ups and also color mugs.

 

 

Thanks to this arrival I've gone from owning about 215 cards from the set to 529 of the 660 cards. I know this is another one of those sets that I could buy for 20 bucks, but I don't think I want to do that -- especially after getting 300-plus cards all at once. You'll probably see a want list here and on TCDB and I should wrap it up almost as quickly as ordering a complete set.

 

It's obvious that Marc had been stocking up for this send as far as Dodgers. I received quite a few new items from brands I now ignore.

 

 Bowman Chrome and Panini Crusade.

 

 

This year's Panini Prizm. Prizm has gone back to a similar design that it was using about a dozen years ago, which I don't like.

 

 

Donruss. One of these is from 2024 and three are from 2025. They all look alike to me. Also I believe Marc now holds the record for sending the most Dalton Rushing cards to me.

 

 

Moving on to Topps and its various parallels. I thought the Hyesong Kim cards were the same parallel. Nope! Fooled me, even though the cards were placed in the team bag back to back!

 

 

More Dalton Rushing! And more notable guys. Really appreciate the black gold Jackie Robinson though an old-timer like that is never going to look right with a '90s-style insert.

 

 

Some 2025 Allen & Ginter is starting to trickle in via collectors who've actually found the stuff. It's nice to see Orel Hershiser on the checklist this year. I scratched my head when I saw Chan Ho Park made it, but Hersh and Sheff balances it out.

 

 

Another Dodger from a just-issued set. This is a key Archives card. For those who remember the Through The Years Series in which I chart how many past Topps designs Clayton Kershaw has appeared on, this was one of the designs Kershaw had yet to show up on until now -- 1996.

 

Now that Kershaw is retiring I guess he'll miss out on appearing on several past sets but I'll keep my eye out for 1979, 2006 and several others.

 

 

Marc even threw in a couple of current Bills, which I appreciate as current and vintage Bills are the only ones who stick with me. I'm starting to think the Bills will never have the personnel to make the Super Bowl again.

 

Finally a couple of Marc's expert customs. These are family-themed cards using the 1973 Topps design (front and back). He's really one of the best custom-card guys that I've come across (I should do a top five but I don't want to offend anyone I leave out).

 

I'm really not that worried about finding a spot for the 1989 Score set. All I have to do is upgrade the 1988 Score binder to something larger and add the 1989 set to it.

 

This send will ensure that I am dealing with the 1980s for just about all of 2026. Which really isn't such a bad thing. It's got a hell of a soundtrack.